U.S. opens embassy in Solomon Islands to counter China's influence

The United States opened an embassy in the Solomon Islands on Wednesday in a bid to increase its diplomatic presence, as China's military and economic influence widens in the Indo-Pacific region.The development came as the United States and its allies, including Japan and Australia, are vigilant of China's expanding ties with Pacific island nations, and stepping up efforts to revitalize cooperation with them."The opening of the embassy builds on our efforts not only to place more diplomatic personnel throughout the region, but also to engage further with our Pacific neighbors, connect Unite…READ FULL ARTICLE